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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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300 Squadron Crest
20/21.02.1945 No. 300 (P) Squadron Lancaster I PB722 BH-J Fl/Lt. Jan Konarzewski

Operation: Dortmund

Date: 20/21st February 1945 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit: No. 300 (P) Squadron

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: PB722

Code: BH-J

Base: RAF Faldingworth

Location: Leverkusen, Germany

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Jan Konarzewski 76636 PAF Age 40. Killed

Fl/Eng: Fl/Sgt. Władysław Jakimowicz 783274 PAF Age 46. PoW

Nav: Sgt. Stanisław Modrany 704308 PAF Age 24. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Roman Józef Burkacki 703487 PAF Age 44. PoW

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Tadeusz Picho 703722 PAF Age 25. PoW

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Antoni Gorczycki 706605 PAF Age 24. PoW

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Zenon Raczyński 706677 PAF Age 21. PoW


The daughter of Sgt. Tadeusz Picho would very much like to be in contact with other relatives as she has very little information on her father. Please contact us in the first instance and your message will be passed on.

Update August 2016 - relatives of Sgt. Tadeusz Picho from Poland have now contacted us and we have passed on details.


REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 21:42 hrs. from RAF Faldingworth to bomb the Rhenania Ossag oil refinery in the Reisholz district. 514 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitoes took part in this final operation of the war on Dortmund. The object was to destroy the southern part of Dortmund which according to Bomber Command was achieved. No reports are available from the local archive on the damage caused.

Understood to have been hit by flak, crashing at Leverkusen, Germany. The crew taken PoW are all thought to have escaped except for Fl/Sgt. Władysław Jakimowicz. Tadeusz Picho, on return to England, received treatment at the RAF hospital in Wroughton (sadly, no details)

We have very little information on this loss, we welcome contact by anyone with the evader details of the crew members or indeed anything else.

Above: 300 Squadron Lancasters (archive)

Burial details:

Fl/Lt. Jan Konarzewski. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. From Warsaw, Poland - next of kin details not available - are you able to assist with this and any other information?

Sgt. Stanisław Modrany. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. From Pyszków, Poland - next of kin details not available - are you able to assist with this and any other information?

Left: Tadeusz Picho after service (courtesy Jolande)
Roman Józef Burkacki - Born on the 01st April 1918 - passed away on the 07th November 1989 in Florida, USA. No further details.
Władysław Jakimowicz - Born on the 27th January 1899 in Kodeń, Poland. No further details.
Tadeusz Picho - Born on the 16th February 1920 - passed away some time in 1988. It is thought that he became a British National on the 14th December 1956. Lived at West Bridgeford, Nottingham. Worked as a textile technologist. No further details.
Antoni Gorczycki - Born on the 04th October 1921 in Siemkowice, Poland - passed away on the 03rd October 1992 in England.
Zenon Raczyński - Born on 01st January 1924. No further details.

Appeal placed for Jolande, daughter of Tadeusz Picho. Many thanks to Peter Sikora, Rodney Byles and Mike Wier for assisting Jolande find further information. For further details our thanks to Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945'. Also to Krzystek’s List for aircrew personal details. Finally John Jones.

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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